An Eye For a PI
by Captain Vulcan
Summary: Can you imagine Haruka Suzushiro being a private investigator? It's elementary my dear Yukino. Alternate Universe fiction with favorite pairings among the fans.
1. Prologue

Here goes nothing. This is another work of fan fiction being contributed to the rapidly growing Mai-HiME fan base. Although, I'm not a big fan of shoujo ai I find it finely balanced and well executed in the series. It's safe to assume that I somewhat... appreciate shoujo ai and yuri since I've seen the entire show (Mai HiME, anyway). Obviously, this is an AU story but I will try my best to retain the essence of the series that make it so popular in the first place. So yes, you can expect favorites such as Shizuru/Natsuki, Aoi/Chie, and of course, Haruka/Yukino. Though such relationships will strengthen--albeit slowly.

To put all of this in a nutshell, I hope you guys will enjoy it. And please tell a fool something when he makes glaring mistakes.

**Disclaimer: **Shit. I wished I was the creator of Mai-Hime... Enough said.

**RATING: T **or **PG-13.** It's a dark and gritty story with Haruka as the main protagonist. As lovely as she is you must tread carefully. Contents are violence, mild language, sexual innuendo and use of drugs. Hey, this is just another business day in the eyes of a private eye.

**MAI HIME**

**AN EYE FOR A P. I.**

**PROLOGUE**

**T**he night is young, but slow. It was a quarter to midnight and most of the city was damp from the steady rain it had hours prior. This hasn't been my kind of week. Business was virtually nonexistent and the weather's been terrible since Monday afternoon. Damn, the sound of constant rain makes me sleepy. There was nothing to do. Since I wasn't making any money for now, I might as well spend a little.

"Oh! Haruka-chan!" My lifelong friend and partner called. "Maybe I should rent this." She held up a display box of 'Hard Candy' for me to see. It was a foreign film. "It was critically acclaimed as one of the best movies of the year and I hear mostly positive opinions about this one so far."

Right. We were at a video store.

"You can't just believe everything you read or hear, Yukino." I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest. "I mean, really, what does candy has to do with stationary rape?"

"Statutory." She chirped, correcting my slip.

I couldn't help but pout at her for helping me like that. She's been doing that all my life. Yukino returned a confident girlish smile at me. I guess she was determined to check out that movie. True, I am a fan of foreign films-- especially American movies, but I just didn't watch anything the comes before my eyes. Why, I wanted to see 'Lucky Number Sleven' for weeks now and I finally got the opportunity to rent it! I'll watch anything with Morgan Freeman starring in it. He's one of my favorite American actors.

"I guess I'm lucky," I said as I snatched the film from the shelves. "This is the last copy in the store."

Yukino giggled at the grin that appeared on my lips. "You've wanted to see that for a while now." She told me. "You better hope it was worth the wait."

"You bet it is." I replied. Dressed in a green sweater and black jeans, Yukino was a small, slender woman. She has been so since childhood. She's sort of an introvert and speaks very softly. Although she's not painfully shy, she is a very smart person. If it weren't for her my line of work would be much harder than it already is. Her hair is brown and is done in a quirky, yet stylish hairstyle. Her large eyes are brown and they were rimmed with small glasses. Her small face was littered with freckles-- especially in the center around her nose.

She's a living image of Velma from Scooby Doo... only she was far more appealing and she didn't utter 'jinkies' enigmatically (ahem, erratically).

"I guess two movies should do." Yukino informed me. She took a glance towards the horror section and looked back at me with a smirk on her face. Even though she was shy she was not at all afraid of horror movies. I, on the other hand, was downright terrified of them. Back in my youth, my mother messed around and let me saw the 'Exorcist' ... which left a horrible impression on me and then about a decade later I just so happened to watch 'The Nightmare on Elm Street' with Yukino. I've been traumatized by both.

So no. No horror movies.

"Let's get going," I remarked. "We've been here long enough." We made our way towards the checkout counter. I suddenly didn't feel right. Every since we've arrived here in the store nearly fifteen minutes ago there was a rather suspicious looking young man that was roaming both inside and outside the store. From time to time he would ask the guy who was working here a question about the availability of a video game and then he would hit on the girl that was working here. Apparently, the two employers were a couple.

"How long has he been in here?" I asked the handsome male.

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino chided. "That's none of our business."

Obviously, he wasn't paying much attention to the seemingly browsing costumer. "Hmm. I don't really know." He cupped his chin in thought.

"Hey, that's a really good selection you have there." The female said. I knew her. Her name was Akane. Despite her youthful appearance, she is two years older than I am. We've went to the same high school and all. "Would this do for tonight, Haruka-san?"

"Umm... yes." I answered uneasily, shifting my gaze back at the guy in the back of the store. He's been back there many times and now he's all shifty eyed. "Yea, this and Hard Candy." Yukino handed me her rental.

"Alright. Let me check your membership card." Said Akane. Now the guy in the back was heading towards us.

I whispered low enough only Yukino and Akane heard me. "I don't like this guy. He's acting weird."

"Haruka..." Yukino shushed me.

"Excuse me." The costumer said after a long time. "I would like to check what's in your inventory." By the sound of his voice and the way he looks he couldn't have been no more than eighteen. Heck, he's probably still in school. He should be at home and in bed. It was a school night after all.

The handsome employer perked up. "I'll give you a hand. Let's see what's in the drop box eh?"

The boy nodded. "That's won't do. I want to check out the cash register."

Did I just heard right? I'm only twenty-four and it's not time for that yet.

Yeah... I was right. He pulled out a gun. Whoop-de-do!

I knew it. It all added up: the skull cap, leather gloves, dark clothes, and the over-sized trench coat. We had a winner. The bastard said, "Hand me all your money! Now!"

Akane gasped and Yukino squealed. The attractive male and I raised our hands in the air.

"Just-- just calm down, sir." The male said. I could tell that he was reaching for a hidden silent alarm behind the counter. "I'll get the money for you."

Akane whipped her head at him in disbelief. "Kazu-kun?"

"Quiet! The both of you!" The robber demanded. "Just hurry it up and hand me the cash!"

Ahem...

"What do you call yourself doing?" I spoke to him at last.

His brow was now quirked and he slowly turned to gaze at me. "Excuse me?" He asked me harshly.

"I guess that you're trying to make a name for yourself huh?" I prodded, waist high in risk. "What made you decided to do this, hmm?"

"Listen lady, don't get fresh with me," he warns me. He pressed the revolver against my pert chest. The steel was cold and it tickled me through my indigo blouse. "Don't play with me. I'll riddle you with bullets. I don't care if you are pretty."

Check him out. "Thanks for the compliment, kid. But don't put yourself through this. Do you actually think that you are going to get away with this?" I kept talking. I knew he was bluffing. He was trembling slightly. "This place is full of hidden cameras. It's clear that you are the proprietor."

"Perpetrator." Yukino corrected me in a highly timid tone of voice.

"This is not the time, Yukino." I said in a sing-song voice, miffed.

"Who do you think you are lady?" The robber was irritated now. Good. I had him. "Don't you know that I am for real? I will blow a hole right through you!"

In an instant, I soundly knocked the gun from his extended hand. He didn't even see it coming. He gasped in shock as it flew to a far corner in the store. Akane hoped over the counter and went to retrieve it. "I am Detective Haruka Suzushiro." I revealed to him, enjoying the fear on his face. "Give it up. We're phoning the cops as I speak."

In his horrified eyes I could see now that they were becoming glazed with fury. "Why you...!"

I was counting on him to try a desperation attack. He brandished a pocket knife from his trench coat and he charged at me. That was foolish of him. I was adept in Judo, thanks to my mother. The main principle of Judo was to use your opponent's force against him or her. As he closed in he tried to swipe at my face but I ducked the attempt and used some strength the lift him over my head and tossed him into a shelf of used movies for sale. He crumbled in a unconscious heap on the floor.

It was too easy, but it was the most interesting moment of the night.

"That was impressive." 'Kazu' praised.

"It was nothing." I replied. "All in a day's work."

Akane returned to the counter with the offending weapon. "I tried to warn him." She quipped.

"That's Haruka-chan for you." Yukino giggled. "It's just like her to go all out like that."

Moments later, a police car appeared at the front of the store. And out of the bucket with the flashing lights on the top of it was two officers I used to work alongside back in the good ole days. The confident and well-groomed Reito 'Rad' Kansaki and the lone wolf, Natsuki Kuga. I knew Reito from college. He's smart, athletic, and he was indeed a ladies' man. He was the Japanese Adonis. He stands six feet even and he has a slim yet muscular body. He's always the hard worker, he has a good sense of humor and he was very optimistic. He charmed the hell out of me and countless other women.

"I guess the dirty work has already been done." He said in a cool voice.

"Uh huh." The raven haired partner said. "Out cold."

"Go on ahead and cuff him, Kuga." He instructed the younger woman. "I'll put this offense on file." He took out a notepad and began scribbling it.

"Damn." Kuga was looking at the offender's school I.D. "He's only a kid. Seventeen years old."

I didn't met Natsuki until I started working for the local police. Even now she seems pretty much mysterious as she was when I first met her. She's very pretty but she's a little rough around the edges. She even speaks with a somewhat butch voice. She's not bashful like Yukino but she is socially isolated. She keeps a lot to herself and yet she does speak her mind. Physically, it shouldn't be hard for her to catch a man. "Say, what are you looking at?" She asks me.

She caught me looking a bit too hard-- wondering. "Nothing much." I joked.

"Smart ass..." She muttered.

Ah, that's Natsuki for ya. She didn't changed a bit. But really, she's a nice woman deep down inside. She... just needs to borrow further. She gets a lot of unwanted attention from the men on the force as I recall. Sporting long raven hair that's so dark that it's almost blue. Her hairstyle was without bangs and it accented her cute, infantile forehead. She is a girl of nice build. Although her chest is kind of demure, she was svelte and she has a noticeable round butt. I don't swing that way but I'm relaying the facts.

"You roughed the kid up pretty badly." Reito was saying. "Still got that temper huh, Haruka?"

"Ha. Not really, I just chunked him like a rock, that's all." I rested my hands on my hips. "You could say I roughed him up. It's the reason why I quit the force."

Natsuki had a grin on her face. "What? You wanted to assault heathens or something?"

"Nah." I relayed to the tomboy. "I rather beat the crap out of an offender than shooting him when he gets out of hand. I'm not violent, honest." I flashed her a triumphant smile. Kuga looked like she wants to burst into laughter.

The weather was making up again. I heard thunder in the distance. Great. Yukino exited the store and went to the sport utility vehicle. "I'll join you in a minute, Yukino." I told her before she was inside the vehicle. I reverted my attention back to the two officers. "Nice night, eh guys?"

"I know, right?" Natsuki lifted the comatose teenager on her shoulder and headed outside. "Don't let this take all night."

"I swear you guys are so much alike it isn't funny." Reito chuckled, allowing his dreamy eyes to meet mine. "How are you faring tonight?"

"I'll hang in there." I told him. "Business is a little slow so I decided to hop to the video store and grab a few movies. It's better than snacking on stale donuts and watered down coffee in the after hours. Don't you think?"

Reito laughed. "Ah. You got jokes huh? Same old Haruka."

"You better believe it." I laughed along with him. Akane and her boyfriend were closing the store and they both looked at us as if we were high. "Maybe we should get a move on." I said sheepishly with a blush of embarrassment.

"I agree." Reito acquiesced and left the store along with me. I could see Yukino was trying her best to stay awake in the passenger seat. "I know that you're ready to call it a night, Haruka." Said the charmer. "So I'll get right down to business."

I rose a brow, "And that would be?"

"Tomorrow's my day off. An entire day with free time on my hands. So... I'm asking you would you like to join me for brunch tomorrow."

What did he just said. "Really?"

"We can get together for dinner as well." What was he trying to do? Was Reito trying to rekindle what we had in college? Sure I dated him a couple of times, but... "You can bring your friend along as well. Everything will be on me."

Okay. This is getting interesting. "And why should I?"

"Hey, there's that Mexican restaurant that you always enjoyed dining at." Hey conned. Damn him!

"Alright then." I agreed. "But no funny stuff. Besides, you're going to have Natsuki under your spell pretty soon."

Reito took a moment to take a quick glance at the said woman in the police car. Figures... she was in her own world. She had a Nintendo DS in her hands and from the sound of it she was playing New Super Mario Bros. Hey, who don't love Super Mario? "Ah... Kuga's sort of a tough nut to crack." He whispered. "Besides, I believe she finally has someone in her life."

What? This was news to me. Kuga, you go girl! "That goes to show you that even you cannot charm every pretty woman that you see. That hurts doesn't it?" I quipped.

"I haven't even tried." Reito admitted. "Knowing her, she'll probably beat even me in a fair fight."

"Yeah. Whatever. Just be ready for our brunch tomorrow." I pointed out.

"I anticipate it highly, dear Suzushiro." He replied, making his voice smooth.

"I warn you. I'll get the most expensive selections on the menu." I joked.

"Is that so?" He smirked at me. "Bring it on then."

We went out separate ways, he went to his police car and I went to my Lincoln. I better get home. It was drizzling again.

**PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR SUZUSHIRO**

We arrived at our apartment eighteen minutes after one a.m. and I thought I should check what's on the cable before I crash. I lead my drowsy roommate to her room and the moment she hit the bed she was snoring. Yukino was a rough sleeper for as long as I remember. I went to the refrigerator but I decided against getting a snack. Yukino recently said that I was putting on some weight. Pfff! What does she know? My tummy's just as flat as an ironing board.

I flopped on the couch and turned on the television. There was an action movie on.

'"_It's clobbering time!"_

The Fantastic Four. An internationally know group of comic book superheroes... adapted to a live action movie. I never seen it before but I think it's going to be good. Besides, my dad used to tell me that he grew up watching Fantastic Four on television when he was a kid in the sixties. Back then, the nation was still recovering from the Second World War and North America has become the biggest partner in trade. Marvel was one of the many wonders from the West.

Just as Johnny Storm was about to attempt a seemingly suicidal stunt on his bike, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I fished it out and realized that someone has left me a text message. It was from an friend of mine...

Chie Harada.

I read the text, **_I have something that you may be interested in. Call me back. _**

So that's what's up? I dialed her number. I knew that she was still up this time of night.

"_Yeah, run your mouth." _Chie answered.

"You run yours." I quipped as a reply. "You the one that have something that I may be interested in." I could hear jazz music and the sound of pool sticks. She was up at a jazz pub. Something I haven't went to in years.

"_Of course I do. Hold on."_ I heard her took a shot on a pool table and I hear someone said 'damn!' "_Alright, alright, pay up the twenty-five thousand, loser. Hey boy! Stop tapping that pool stick against my butt or I'll snap your skinny ass like a twig."_

I wanted to laugh, "Sounds like you're having a lot of fun."

"_You could say that. Although these guys apparently never seen a woman playing pool before and they don't know how to act." _Chie said with amusement in her voice. "_I'm getting rich off these guys and I'm not even a hooker."_

"So, what did you have to tell me?" I inquired.

"_Oh that... well, I have a case for you and you have business." _That lifted my mood completely. Yes! Private Eye Suzushiro is back!

"It's about time." I said. "It's been quiet for over a week now."

"_Well, how about we meet at 'The Taste of Mexico restaurant tomorrow at noon." _Chie informed. " _I can discuss details to you then. Meanwhile, I have to show these boys how to play some pool. I'll see you tomorrow, girl."_

She hung up and I was ecstatic. However... there's a bit of a problem...

I was suppose to meet Reito there for brunch tomorrow.

"Damn!" I bellowed aloud.

**END OF PROLOGUE **

Now hiring for a beta. Anyone interested? Please...


	2. Dressing For Success

Ready for more? Here comes the first chapter .

**AN EYE FOR A P. I.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**DRESSING FOR SUCCESS**

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino yelled from the den. "C'mon now. We're going to miss the lunch hour at this rate."

Wouldn't you believe it? Me, Haruka Suzushiro, the infamous dame that always thinks on her two feet was slowing around in her very room. Darn it all. I can't decide what footwear to go to lunch with. I've already dressed up in an orange cotton shirt and a long black skirt that you had to zip up at the back. Now I couldn't decide whether to wear a pair of sandals, tennis shoes or a pair of leather knee high boots. I was brooding over my decision longer than I expected. "Hey Yukino? Could you come here for a second?"

A few pitter-patter of her small feet resounded throughout the den and a moment later she was outside my room looking inside. "What is it?"

I took a hard gaze at the trio of footwear that was currently my dilemma. Yukino knew what was going on in my head. "What do you think?"

She prodded her chin in thought. That's how we were when it comes to fashion. "Hmm. If it was up to me... I'll have to go with the boots." She relayed. "It gives off a sense of class."

"The hell are you talking about, Yukino?" I demanded. Is she trying to tell me something? "I'm always classy." I may be a detective that's a little rough around the edges but I also took a lot of pride in my femininity. Even that Kuga girl took pride in hers every once in a while and she's as butch as they come. Jeez!

Yukino giggled. She was in a joking mood this afternoon. "Hey, it's your story. You decide."

I closed my eyes and nodded in meditation. "Okay. The boots it is then." I confirmed.

"Somehow I knew that you're going to say that." Yukino pointed out.

I blushed. I swear that girl has the divine gift of clairvoyance sometimes. "Whatever." I remarked as I slid my feet into the smooth boots. "Let's get going."

Right. I'm going to meet up with my informer and my college flame at the very same place today. Things are definitely going to be interesting for sure.

**PRIVATE DETECTIVE SUZUSHIRO**

The Taste of Mexico was an one hundred percent authentic Mexican restaurant. It wasn't one of those heavily commercialized imitations like Taco Bell, or worse-- Burrito Toll. This was the real thing So once you step inside this restaurant, you're literally going to get a taste of the delicacies of the said beautiful country. It is obvious that this place is highly successful since it started business here over fifteen years ago. It was still lunchtime... and the place was packed like a group of developed muscles.

"Wow..." Yukino uttered in awe. Her wide eyes were littered with stars and her mouth was agape. Her stomach growled loudly and it sounded like rolling thunder at a distance.

I waved my right hand over her face, "Hello?" I wondered. "Anyone in there?"

I couldn't even spot Chie nor Reito anywhere in this restaurant among the sea of people. This is just great! I've been stood up by both of them. Why would they tell me to meet them here if they know that they're not going to show up? Damn! And what's worse... I'm not exactly a patient person.

"Excuse me miss?" A young Hispanic male addressed me. He was impeccably multilingual. "Would you be dining in or would you like a carryout?"

"Uh... hold on a second would cha?" I assured him. I was trying my best to spot either Reito or Chie. This was like finding a needle in a haystack! There's still no sign of them. That is until...

My cell phone began vibrating. It's another text message from her.

**_I'm looking dead at you, ya know? _**It read.

What the hell? Where was she then? I didn't fell like playing games with her. I looked around frantically until I noticed that there was a strange glow of blue light underneath an oversized sombrero in the smoking section of the restaurant. Could it be? "That could be... you know who." Yukino guessed as she scratched her nose.

"You think?" I was growing ever more impatient. Another text message appeared.

_**Well? Aren't you're going to come over here or not?**_

I blushed in embarrassment and turned to face the waiter. "We will be dining in after all."

"What would you ladies like to drink?" The young man asked us as we went to sit at the table with Chie.

I told him that I'd like green tea and Yukino went with a caffeine free lemon lime soda. Chie tilted her head up a little with a confident smirk and took a sip of that salty ass margarita in front of her. The informant was a tomboyish but an attractive woman. Chie was the inquisitive but calculative. I've known her since junior high and even back then that I thought that she was some kind of secret agent. She pressed her neat little glasses up her small nose-- a gesture that she knew something juicy and she's just itching to share it with someone.

"Hello there, guys." She handed Yukino and I a menu. "It's a lovely day, isn't it?" Her voice was femininely deep, like a singer. She always had such a voice. She sounded like a butch pre-adolescent boy but the pitch was far more dulcet.

"What's up? What business do you have for us this time?" I had my arms crossed over my chest. The waiter returned with a basket of tortilla chips and salsa dip along with the drinks Yukino and I ordered. I told him I would like a Tortoise (Haruka, you mean Tortas). Yukino ordered a Mexican salad with extra tomatoes and Chie ordered a steak Chimichanga with nacho rice as a side.

Chie's expression calcified and her eyes became shifty just like those gangsters in the old American movies from the forties she enjoys watching. She snaked her right hand underneath the sombrero on her head to retrieve a photo and slid it across the table towards me. The person in the photo... I'm afraid I haven't seen him before. "So, what is this guy's story?"

"You certainly know the celebrities Satoshi Nagai and his wife, Kaoru Nagai don't you?" She asked us. Their names were familiar. I knew I heard of them before.

"Hmm, the couple are famous clothing designers if I'm not mistaken," Yukino snatched the words straight out of my mouth. "Their designs has always been the rage among high school students."

Chie nodded, which confirmed that Yukino was right but I had to know what they had to do with the guy in the photo. "What they have to do with this guy then? Tell a fool something."

"Ah, the man that you're looking at is their nephew, Yoshio Kimura," the oldest of us revealed. "Although he isn't exactly what you would call a celebrity, he is incredibly rich however. He's a real ladies man and he is also a big time criminal in disguise."

Did she say, 'big time criminal?' My friend Chie had business for me after all. I can feel a smile forming on my lips. "You don't say?"

"It's always the cutest ones being the bad guys," Yukino commented while she was admiring Yoshio on the photo.

Something about this bugged me though. "Does anyone know that this guy is a full fledge criminal?" My voice was low. Although I should have known better. His aunt and uncle are celebrities and he has done well in keeping himself hidden in their shadows. A criminal couldn't get any craftier than that. "I mean, the law is aware of this right?"

Chie considered the question thoughtfully before answering. "There... is a slim chance that they are but it is unlikely. You know how the law works. You're going to need concrete evidence."

"And that's exactly what they're going to get," I finished. "I'm going to investigate this."

"That's the Haruka that I know!" Chie chuckled, then she took on a somber expression. "I just hope that you haven't gotten rusty, Haruka. I'm counting on you."

I sensed something in Chie's eyes but I didn't know what it was exactly. I wonder if this was personal. "Of course not. I haven't pampered in the least." I said confidently. "I'm always at the peak of my form."

Yukino sipped all her soda a little too fast, "It's 'I haven't hampered in the least'." The literary Nazi corrected.

"Ugh! Stop that, Yukino!"

She could only laugh at my annoyance.

"Here," said Chie as she fished in her purse. She handed me a thick wad of bills. "Twenty-five thousand for you." This was a first for me. Chie was my informant but she only tells me clues of criminal activities and whereabouts but she never paid me before. Right now, whatever business it was with Yoshio I knew it was personal.

"So, you're my client in this case." I commented instead of asking.

Chie nodded seriously, gazing at both Yukino and I. "Because of him, a friend of mine has been missing for nearly two weeks now."

All I could say was, "Whoa..." I was surprised that my voice lilted considerably when I said it too.

"Gosh," said Yukino. "Nothing is as what it seems."

At that moment, the waiter returned to the table with our lunch. "Here you go ladies. Enjoy your meal."

Chie relished the scent of her meal. "It's high time that we dig in," she said. I could tell that she was waiting to eat for a long time. "I'll give you details after lunch, alright?"

And now, "Afternoon, ladies." A devil disguised in human flesh greeted. "You're having lunch without me?" He asked, mostly directed towards me.

Chie blushed and made sitting space for him. "Howdy partner." She was quite adept at analyzing men with a mere glance and discovering their worth. Reito, however, was a different story. Chie tried many, many times to figure out the man that I used to date back in college. Like Shrek said, he's an onion. He has several layers. He can be a knight in shining armor, a player, and a hauntingly formidable fighter all at the same time. "What brings you down here in this neck of the woods?"

Reito chuckled with good humor. He looked good in his black slacks and red casual button down shirt. "What else I would come to a restaurant for? I'm hungry."

The police lieutenant sat next to Chie. "Eh? That's not the only thing that you came here for?" Chie quipped, enjoying to be in the demi-god's presence. "That's a pretty nice fragrance you're wearing? What is that? Body oil or something?"

"It's called Conviction." He replied. "You like the fragrance huh?"

"It's really pleasant. too." Yukino added. "You used only a little of it instead of defeating the purpose by applied too much of it on your body."

Chie sipped her margarita and a mischievous laugh escaped her lips. "You're right about that, Yukino. And the fragrance has a tendency to linger too. Why, I could have swore that Haruka had that fragrance on her clothes one night."

Yukino snorted. Reito seemed surprised for the first time in his life and my face burned as red as a beet. "Chie!" I practically barked out over the crowd of voices in the restaurant. "Don't say a thing like that!"

Okay, okay... it's true that I've dated Reito in the past but not once have we ever had-- "You guys are still full of jokes," Reito said with a grin, "as usual."

Reito and I never did 'anything' together but I'm not going to let Chie know that. If anything, our relationship was mostly platonic... even if... I did resisted the countless urges to jump his bones with the many opportunities I had. Damn. I still have them even to this day. "Uh... enough talking Chie. We're doing more of that than we are eating." I snatched the huge sandwich from my plate and took a big bite out of it. Reito called the waiter and told him that he will be joining us for lunch.

Chie was possibly drunk. She was smothering him with affection.

I'm definitely going to have a word with Chie later today.

**PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR SUZUSHIRO**

"Ah, home sweet home!" I exclaimed with a full stomach. I parked the blue Navigator in front of the garage to our apartment. Chie followed us from the restaurant in her Nissan and parked at the driveway. Hmm... she wasn't drunk at all. Reito said that he will swing by later. He's now aware of the case that we're working on and he wants something to do in his spare time.

"You sounded like you've been away from home for a long time." Yukino joked. She popped a sugar free gum in her maw. "I wonder if I've put on some weight from that big salad."

Chie unintentionally slammed her car door and locked it. "Right now, we need to get to the drawing board. You know, to come up with a game plan on how to apprehend our dear Yoshio."

Yukino hopped out the passenger seat and shut the door. "He's having a party tonight, right?" She wondered. "He lives the life for it too. His parties are known to be highly lavish."

"Yeah. And it no mystery to us that he's going to be slinging major dope." Said Chie with a hand cupping her chin in thought. "The hard part is getting the tangible evidence as I said before. For all we know he could have a closet full of that stuff."

"Yeah, yeah, he's a big drug pusher under wraps." I shrugged. "Now what about this missing person you've mentioned? That is... if this person is still alive."

Chie stiffened and a long uncomfortable silence reigned for a moment. I've pressed a button. Whoever this person was must be very important to her. I never known Chie to be so... so... somber. "I guess we'll find out in the meantime."

"Oh..." My voice was lilted and childish once again.

"Come on, now. Let's get inside so we can decide what you're going to wear to that part as a disguise." That infamous grin returned to her face.

I wondered if I heard her right. "Huh? Say what now?"

"Yeah Haruka-chan," Yukino supported, taking on an European accent that I couldn't exactly pinpoint. "You're going to be the lady of the evening."

"Um hmm. Since you're such a well known private eye in these parts, you're going to that party and flush the bad guys out." Chie was laughing now. "You're going to have a lot of fun!"

I nodded rebelliously against their idea. This little plan of theirs had definitely caught me off guard. "I am not going to socialize with criminals!" I reasoned-- at least, tried to.

"It's your job. You have to." Chie countered. "Wow. Maybe you have gotten a little rusty, Haruka."

I stammered. "But, but--"

Chie was behind me, examining my butt and whistling with sarcasm. "You have a lot of it too. Girl, you have the bone structure of a French woman."

"That's nonsense!" I retorted with my nose in the air like a high school preppie. "I'm part Greek!"

"You don't have to necessarily socialize with them, Haruka-chan." Yukino explained. "You have to feign like you are communicating with them. Why else would you call it going undercover? Besides, you're the right person for busting Kimura's party tonight."

"What is this?" I wondered aloud while unlocking the apartment door. "You're saying that I go in there disguised as... as a... bimbo?"

"Bingo!" Chie exclaimed and sat on the couch.

"You have to do what you must do," Yukino followed. I swear! These two geeks must enjoying sensing my discomfort in all of this. Yukino headed to her room in snickers and Chie took out a cigarette and lit it, violating rule number one in my side of the apartment.

"Hey! No smoking in my house!" I told her.

Chie feigned innocence, "What? It's only a Winston. Now if I was about to smoke some weed in here then that would be a different story." She went on and took a chief on it anyway. "Wouldn't you think? I've been smoking since eighth grade."

"I know that," I retold in annoyance. "You used to hit one everyday after lunchtime and you've threatened to beat up any of the would be 'snitches' that told on you."

"Yeah," Chie sighed. "Those were the days." She continues to puff smoke in my room and I had just about enough of it! I quickly strode over to her and snatched the cigarette from her fingers. "Hey! Cigarettes are not exactly cheap you know."

"Chie, respect my house," I told her in a voice that brooded no sort of argument. "Besides, these things would kill me before it would you. Second hand smoke is a bitch."

"Humph! Whatever..." Chie pouted.

Yukino returned to the scene. "Guys, I found the hard dye!"

I stared at Yukino in disbelief. "What are you're going to do with that, Yukino?"

"Wow! You really are a quick thinker, Yukino." Chie applauded.

"Yeah, but... what's up with the hair dye?" I wondered in pure befuddlement.

"We're going to apply it on you, silly!" Chie confirmed in a surprisingly giddy voice. Imagine... Yukari Tanazaki on E. Yeah, that kind of giddy.

"Bullshit..." Just great, they're planning on dying my beautiful golden locks. They'll never take me alive.

"First, we're going to find out what outfit that you're going to wear for tonight's activities." Yukino informed me while failing miserably to suppress her mirth. "In this case it's going to be something preferably for a woman that enjoys the life of the party."

"Um hmm," Chie was making an hourglass gesture with her hands. "You're gonna let it all hang out."

My friends... Chie Harada and Yukino Kikukawa were grinning like devils on the verge of feasting on a lost soul. At times like these I have to curse my naturally good looks. "Someone put me out of my misery," I sighed. "Now."

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

**NEXT TIME:**

After all the torment I've been through I finally set out to investigate Yoshio Kimura's party at a Western-styled mansion in the south of the city. Of course, his party seems like every other ordinary parties with rich people, partygoers... and possibly underage girls. Attending the party undercover as a 'woman that enjoys the life of the party', I found a startling discovery. Whoa, this guy is just as bad as Chie said. And that's not all folks: I also found the body of Chie's missing friend. She's the daughter of a high ranking Marine officer, Aoi Senou. I really got my work cut out ahead of me. Plus, being a brunette is really growing on to me. Will I survive the night in one piece? So much for enjoying a challenge. Jeez!

**AN EYE FOR A P. I.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**BRUNETTE OR BUST**


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